4-H leaders tell involvement is worth effort
By SALLY BAIR
and
KENDACEBORRY
Editor’s Note: April 22
thru 28 Is National Volunteer
Week. In honor of the oc
casion, Lancaster Farming
interviewed three 4-H
volunteer leaders who told
why they give of their time
and efforts to the clubs they
serve.
LITITZ - Mrs. Mark W.
Hosier, Manheun R 5, has
served as a volunteer leader
in the Elm-Penryn 4-H Club
for 24 years. She said she has
gained a lot of satisfaction
from being a leader. “I have
learned a lot of youngsters
and learned to know their
characteristics.” She
regrets that the large size of
the club today prevents her
gtpm knowing the children
as she once did.
Mrs'. Hosier became a
leader at the request of the
late Victor Plastow who
asked her to help when her
sons’ club lost a leader. She
recruited another leader and
with the help of one of the
leaders of the original club,
they reorganized and began
meeting in Penryn as the
Elm-Penryn Club.
I
Mrs. Mark Mossier, a leader of the Elm-Penryn
Club, not only takes time out of her schedule for
4-H, but also devotes herself to many hobbies.
A leader for gardening, strawberries is one of her
sweet com, strawberries, largest projects,
indoor and outdoor flowers, When she first became a
Mrs. Hosier says that leader she said projects
were not assigned to~ par
ticular leaders. “The one
who lived nearest that child
helped with his project.” As
the club increased, leaders
began working in specific
areas.
Mrs. Hosier remembers
fondly the days when she
“gathered up” the children
and took them to meetings
and to Achievement Day.
Even now, she said she tells
them to ask her if they don’t
have a way to go to
Achievement Day.
Having been a 4-H’er
herself for eight years, Mrs.
Hosier says, “It makes a big
difference in how you look at
4-H if you were in 4-H
yourself. I was one that liked
to be in the top, and I usually
came up with blue ribbons.”
Nevertheless, she said she
urges her 4-H’ers not to feel
disappointed if they don’t get
the coveted blue ribbon. “I
tell them that I have helped
at Achievement Day and I
have seen them judge. I
know they look at the fine
details, and they can’t give
everybody a blue ribbon.
That doesn’t mean a project
is not good.” Mrs. Hosier
took projects in sewing.
Uncaster Farming, Saturday. April 21,1979-
cooking and home im
provement.
Up until three years ago,
she also worked as
organizational leader, but
she no longer does that,
leaving it to “the younger
ones.” She commends the
younger volunteer leaders,
saying, “Some of them are
really putting in the time
with their projects. But it is a
problem to get leaders and
keep leaders. It is wor
thwhile to be a leader.”
She said interest in 4-H
remains about the same.
“There are some children
who are really interested
and some are not. I think we
get more parent support
than we used to. If parents
are interested, you have
good 4-H members. Those
children do their projects
J. Warren Heisey, Elizabethtown, a leader of the
Elizabethtown Pig and Rabbit Club, gets ready to
take his family to another 4-H meeting.
and bring them to
Achievement Day.”
Being a volunteer is a way
of life for Mrs. Hosier.
Formerly she was very
active in the Penryn Fire
Company and she has served
for 27 years on th&Manheim
Osteopathic Guild. She
makes stuffed animals and
pine cone wreaths for their
bazaars, but one of their
largest projects is making
peanut brittle which they do
m Mrs. Hosier’s kitchen.
Last year they made 345
pounds in November and
December to be ready for
the Christmas market. She is
a member of the Manheim
Brethren Church and serves
as a volunteer for the New
Windsor clothing center
through her church.
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